LOST CONVERSATIONS PART XVII

1. WHERE JUBAL EARLY GETS A JOB SOMETIME AFTER “Ariel”

INT. POLICE STATION - DAY

Overscene - Police Station - Ariel

An Alliance police station, lots of people moving in an out, police officers in uniform, desks, Cortex screens, etc.

Jubal Early ENTERS, dressed in his red leather outfit, pushing a handcuffed MIDGET ahead of him.

MIDGET

(shouting)

I got rights! And my right to smoke is one of them!

EARLY

Keep talking little man, that’s a right you do have, but there’s no way I or anyone else is giving you a cigarette.

MIDGET

(pleading)

Then just a match, one match, I won’t burn nothin’, I promise. I just want to see the flame, the pretty little flame of a match.

They arrive at a reception desk. A police woman looks at the Midget with sympathy and looks at Early with obvious distaste.

POLICE WOMAN

Can I help you?

EARLY

Name’s Early, I have a wanted fugitive named Cletius Orsen.

POLICE WOMAN

What’s the charge?

EARLY

Arson, 23 counts on three different worlds.

MIDGET

That ain’t true! I ain’t never burned nothin’!

(shouting)

I got rights!

People look over but then quickly look away.

EARLY

Check your system.

She quickly punches keys at a Cortex screen, waits a beat.

POLICE WOMAN

Yes, here it is. Bounty is 20,000 credits.

MIDGET

(indignant)

That’s all? Thought it’d be at least 50,000 by now.

EARLY

In your and my dreams little man.

Two heavily armed men approached and take the Midget from Early. As he takes his cuffs off the Midget he warns the policemen.

EARLY (CONT’D)

(to Policemen)

Under no circumstances are you to give this man any source of flame.

They look at each other, then at the Midget.

EARLY (CONT’D)

Under no circumstances.

POLICE MAN

Understood.

MIDGET

See ya Early. Say hi to Mom and your dog for me.

Early ignores him as he is led away.

POLICE WOMAN

You can pick up your “bounty” from accounting, second...

EARLY

I know where it is.

POLICE WOMAN

Oh, and Mr. Early, there is message for you to see Captain O’Brien.

EARLY

Thank